Illuminated sign



Jan. 3, 1961 QRKIN 2,966,754

ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Nov. 3, 1958 1N VENTOR.

HENRY E. ORKIN ILLUMINATED SIGN Henry E. Orkin, 3616 Henry Hudson Parkway, Riverdale, N.Y.

Filed Nov. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 777,805

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-140) This invention relates generally to signs and more particularly to an illuminated sign.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a sign in the form of a translucent plate on which lettering can be readily attached and detached.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign in the form of a translucent colored plastic plate with lettering thereon of contrasting color, the illumination of the plate enhancing its color and improving the legibility of the lettering.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sign in the form of a translucent colored plastic plate with means on one surface thereof for receiving and yieldingly retaining colored lettering for advertising purposes and the like.

It is also proposed to provide an illuminating sign which is simple and rugged in construction, pleasing in appearance, readily cleaned and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an illuminated sign embodying my invention, letters being shown in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the letters used on the sign.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a casing with the sign of Fig. 1 applied thereto and with apparatus for illuminating the sign.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a sign embodying the invention is shown and designated by the reference numeral 10. The sign is in the form of a rectangular-shaped plate 12 of approximately seven-sixteenths of an inch in thickness. The plate is formed of suitable translucent plastic material such as Plexiglas.

The face of the plate is formed with uniformly spaced parallel grooves 14 extending from end to end thereof. The grooves are approximately one-quarter of an inch deep and approximately one-sixteenth of an inch wide, although these dimensions are not critical. The corrugations 16 formed by the grooves have squared-off corners 18.

In accordance with the invention, a sheet 19 of transparent flexible plastic material, preferably about twelve gauge, is laid over the face of the plate 12 and pressed into the grooves 14 from end to end thereof and from side to side of the plate. The sheet 19 is preferably pressed successively into the grooves from side to side of the plate in a loose fashion so that only portions of the sheet engage the side and bottom walls of the grooves 2,966,754 v l atented Jan. 3, 1961 ICC and only engage the corners of the corrugations 16, the remaining portions of the sheet bulging slightly away from the corrugations as shown in the lower grooves in Fig. 2. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the sheet bulges outwardly of the side walls of each groove 14 forming a loop 20 with a narrow neck 22 at the outer end of the loop forming an entrance into the loop. A covering sheet is thus provided for the face of the plate.

The covering sheet 19 is anchored to the plate 12 by means of a sheet metal frame 24 consisting of a channelshaped rail 26 extending continuously over and along the sides and ends of the plate. The rail clamps the edges of the sheet firmly against the face of the plate as shown in Fig. 2. Mitre cuts 28 are formed in the rail at the corners of the plate to permit flexure of the rail for attaching to and detaching from the plate. The rail is fastened to the plate by means of headed rivets 30 extending through the ends of the plate and the material of the plate at the middle of one side thereof.

The plate 12 is designed and constructed to support detachably a plurality of letters 32, such as the letters E and N shown in Fig. l. The letters may be, of course, of any desired size or script, being of a size to span at least one corrugation 16 and the adjacent grooves 14.

The letter 32 is preferably constructed of opaque material, such as opaque plastic, of a color contrasting to the color of the plate 12. The body of the letter has a flat rear surface 34 and a slightly rounded front surface 36. At each extremity of the body of the letter, a flat lug 38 extends laterally of the rear surface 34, at right angles thereto. The lugs 38 are of a length slightly less than the depth of the grooves 14 and of a thickness slightly less than the width of thegrooves so that when in the grooves a slight space, substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet 19, is afforded at each side of the lug and at the bottom thereof.

In mounting the letters 32 on the plate 12, the lugs 38 at the ends thereof are aligned with the matching grooves and forced inwardly thereof through the neck 22 of the loops 20 of the covering sheet 19. During this operation, the lugs flatten out the bulged portions of the sheet in the grooves and press said portions into intimate contact with the side walls of the grooves. When inward pressure is released, the pressed bulged portions tend to grip the lugs and hold the letters against accidental displacement.

The plate 12 is shown in use in Fig. 4 wherein a hollow rectangular casing 40 is shown provided with an opening 42 in the front wall 44 thereof. The plate 12 is mounted in the front wall in any suitable manner, closing the opening therein. An elongated fluorescent lamp 46 is suitably supported and housed in the casing behind the plate 12 and is connected to a source of electromotive force by means of conductors 48 and plug 50. The plate is illuminated by the light from the lamp 46 shining through the translucent Plexiglas plate, thereby highlighting the color of the plate and sharply outlining the opaque letters 32 posted on the face of the plate. Color effects may be obtained by placing a white light at the rear of a colored plate 12 or by light-ing a clear plate with colored lights.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A sign comprising a rectangular-shaped plate of trans lucent colored plastic material, said plate having uniform- 'fri'ctionally gripped by the loose lining thereof, the

smooth surface of said lining facilitating engagement and 10 disengagement of the lugs in the grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Grant Dec. 14, 1915 Harris Aug. 19, 1952 Valente Dec. 23, 1952 Bass May 22, 1956 Baldanza Mar. 31, 1959 Cygan Apr. 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS GreatBrita-in Oct. 16, 1912 

